Improvement in electric-signal fire-hose



Patented Feb. 4, 1879.

".PLTERS, PNOTO-UTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. Dv C,

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOSEPH BUOHTEL, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC-SIGNAL FIRE-HOSE.

Specification forming-part ot Letters Patent No. 21LS33, dated February4,1879; application filed December 28, 1878.

To all whom 'it may concern: A

it known that I, JOSEPH BUC-H'rnn, of Portland, in the county ofMultnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Inventionor Improvement in Electric- Sigual Fire-Hose, which invention andiinprevenent are fully set forth in the following specification andaccompanying drawings.

The nature ot' this invention will be more aptly shown by the drawings,where- Figure i isalargc section, showing the lap of Fig. ai; Fig. 2, asection through a lire-hose coupling. Fig. 3 is a short length ofserpentine wire. Fig. 4l is an end view of hose; Fi 0. 5, a repiesentation of the lap and embedding material about the signal-wires al), and Fifi'.

represents the coupling as in actual use.

Since the original patent was granted petitioner he has changed andaltered his plans, and at diiiferent times improved or modiiied them,and the present presentation embodies some important features notaltogether known at the beginning.

The most` important is the one which prevents the rot-ting of the hose,it having been found that at the places where the wires were embedded inthe rubber between the hosematerial decay had been effectually resistedin the following manner: As the hose was iirst manufactured there was anexterior and interior rubber covering of the canvas, and between thelayers of gummed canvas the insulating-strips were placed, one above andone under the wire, and these two were pressed together, so z s tocompletely envelop the wires. After a time it was found that moisturepenetrated the ginnmed canvas ducking or hose material through puncturesor` fractures variously caused in the exterior or interior rubbercovering, and in that way induced a species of rottenness to sonic ofthe hose, but that thek portion. of the hose behind theinsulating-strips had been kept strong and good, and did not breakthere, and from this the inventor proceeded to have the insulatingsubstance carried fully around the hose, and placed the signal-wires inthe lap where one edge over-lies the other, the laps being pressed uponand cnveloping and embedding the wires, as in the iirst instance.

This interior layer of rubber very much iinproves the hose in durabilityand strength, and by this device the canvas is completely separated intotwo divisions winterior and exterior to the insulation; and should aspot rot about a hole or fracture on the inside, for instance, theoutside layers cannot be reached by its moisture; and from the outsidein the same ina-nner the central insulator forms a protection to theinside, it beine' very seldom, if ever, that two such breaks will comeopposite each other.

In Fig. 2, where a section of the coupling is shown, and also a crossingfor the signal-wires c c, are short pieces of thiclr rubber hose,insulating and carrying the ends of the signalwires a a from the batteryon the engine. l l) are signal-wires for return-circuit, connected withthe metal of the coupling. d is a bone, ivory, or other non-conductorfor a thumbscrew. m is a metal bolt, having a nut at one end and aswivel-head at the other, operated against by a spring, la., ot' wire,to malte sure of a good contact in the swivel-case. c c are enlargementsof the ends d, which readily spread the rubber pipe and force a tightjoint, to pre-vent water from. entering the insulator. d is fastened tom by a pin, i, to lieep it from turning around the screw-shanlrj whilescrewing the ends together. The swivel-case and the opposite nut areheld in place by winding wire coils j about them. Near the joint betweenthese short pieces of small hose and the points where the wire from thelarge hose join the crossing wires are formed into a helix er coil, g,to prevent their being brel-ien from twisting aside while the maincouplings are being brought together, where they strike the spannen Thecoils fiit into slight depressions .70 turned on the swivel-case andnut.

In Fig. 6 the crossing pipes c are secured to the metal part of thecoupling A or I3 by two eli ps, l, fastened at each end byascrew screwedinto the coupling.

In Fig. l the signal-wires a b are seen lying embedded serpentinely inthe proper manner in the lap.

Fig. 3 shows the serpentine shape of the signal-wires, which are spun ina loose manner, and are from one to sixteen or more in number,l and,after spinning, are given this wavy or serpentine shape.Thispreventstheir breaking when the hose is suddenly pulled, bent,kinked, or stretched unduly.

The above has been fully tested in actual` use, and has been foundunfailing in its acticn durn g the most trying circumstances of actualpractice; and it is desired that the features briefly stated hereinshall be protected by Letters Patent as an invention and improvement onformer Letters Patent granted.

T. clairn- The improved insulating-layer n, consistin of the extrarubber tube, similar to the rubber tube on the inside of the hose nextto the wate, the whole being lnade substantially as described, and forthe .purposesfset forth.

JOSEPH BUCHTEL.

Witnesses:

JOHN M. GEARIN, M. O. GEORGE.

